Syllabi

An underlying principle of the course is that contemporary environmental issues cannot be understood without some knowledge of the history of the human species on planet earth. The //physical// characteristics of our species are the result of a complex interactive process between the ecosystems within which we evolved, environmental changes (especially rapid climate change), and our relationship with the other species of plants and animals that share our ecosystems. Many scientists also believe that our //social// characteristics—the way we interact with others, our use of technology, and even our religious beliefs—can also be largely explained by the way we evolved within particular environmental and social contexts. So throughout the course we will be looking not only at static economic explanations of natural resource use, we will also gain an understanding of how our relationship to the natural world evolved and changed over time. The issue of //sustainability// and //governance// will be major themes in this course.
 * Environmental and Resource Economics (Gowdy) (ECON 4260) **

The purpose of this course is to apply economic theory to an examination of current economic events and crises. The emphasis will be on U.S. issues but globalization and its impacts will historical also be considered. The course will encompass different economic views and discussions of lingering theoretical frameworks that underlie various policy positions. Topics considered are health care, environmental policy, inequality, sustainability, and the role of behavioral psychology in economic policy.
 * Macroeconomic Policy (Gowdy) (ECON 4961) **

An introduction to the social, historical, and ethical influences on modern science and technology. Cases include development of the atomic bomb, mechanization of the workplace, Apollo space program, and others. Readings are drawn from history, fiction, and social sciences; films and documentary videos highlight questions about the application of scientific knowledge to human affairs. The class is designed to give students freedom to develop and express their own ideas. Will IT increase prosperity? For whom? What role should governments play in IT development? Do corporations have new responsibilities in the Information Era? What about IT professionals? This course explores the issues, the arguments, and working solutions.
 * __ Science, Technology, & Society – 4cr, ci, SUST __ **__ (STSH/S 1110) Woodhouse TF 2-3:50pm __
 * __ IT and Society – 4cr, ci __**__ (IHSS 1220) Akera T/F 12:00-1:50 + W or R 6:00-7:50 __


 * __ International Relations - 4cr __**__ (STSS1330) Swearingen M R 12-2 __ The world today faces enormous problems: the bloody horrors of war, the unconscionable and widening economic gap between rich and poor countries, and the looming threat of catastrophic environmental degradation. This course examines the causes and consequences of these problems, wonders what a world beyond greed and hate would look like, and considers what it will take to build a better world. Toward these ends, several themes are explored, including the nature of the international system, contemporary challenges to the state system, and alternatives to hunger, exploitation, and international violence.

In this course, students learn controversy analysis and participate in a series of oral debates about alternative energy, pollution and health, and food and water resources. We also develop proposals for sustainability projects.
 * __ Sustainability Debates – 4cr, ci, m, SUST __**__ (STSH/S 1961) Nieusma MR 10-11:50am __

This course allows students to develop a critical understanding of the relationships between design, culture, and society. 'Design' is defined broadly, touching on product/industrial design, urban design, and so-called alternative design approaches such as ecological and feminist design. Restricted to DIS majors.
 * __ Design, Culture and Society – 4 cr, ci __**__ (STSS2210/STSH4962) – __

In this course, the theory and practice of ecological sustainability are explored in three parts: through an examination of the concepts, actors, and processes of society-environment interactions; through an analysis of environmental philosophies and models for action; and by addressing the problems of and prospects for building sustainable societies. The widespread use and adoption of information technologies has brought a range of legal challenges for legislators, courts, law enforcement and everyday users. This course provides a broad introduction to the policies and precedents which have emerged in response to these challenges, from the prosecution of phone phreaks and hackers to the emerging legislation surrounding cyberbullying today. Throughout, an emphasis will be placed on generalizable concepts and principles which can be drawn from this history.
 * __ Environment and Society – 4cr, PD-II, SUST __**__ (STSS 2300) Kinchy TF 12-1:50am __
 * __ Internet and Law – 4 cr __ **__ (STSH2961) Fisk __

What U.S. and international laws protect the environment? Who is involved in the design and enforcement of these laws? What landmark cases shape the way people think about environmental law? How could law better protect the environment and advance sustainability? This course examines these questions to provide the legal context and grounding of diverse sustainability issues.
 * __ Environment & Law – 4cr, SUST __**__ (STSH 2960) Howard MR 10:00-11:50pm __

This course details the scientific and social history of genetics, from Darwin and Mendel to the Human Genome Project. Special focus areas include: plant and animal breeding in the early twentieth century; eugenics movements in the U.S. and elsewhere; bacterial and fruit fly genetics; the development of molecular biology; the invention of recombinant-DNA technologies; the emergence of the biotechnology industry; the sociobiology controversies; genetics and evolutionary theory; contemporary genomics.
 * __ Century of the Gene – 4cr __**__ (STSH 2410) MFortun MR 2:00-3:50am __


 * __ Environmental Philosophy – 4cr, SUST __**__ (STSH4340) Thero T F 2:00-3:50 __ While concepts such as quality of life, environment, nature, global ecology, and the like figure heavily in contemporary discussions, they are seldom integrated into an environmental philosophy. The course tries to achieve this integration by understanding some of the religious, mythic-poetic, and scientific dimensions of the human-nature matrix.


 * __ History of American Technology – 4cr, ci __ **__ (STSH4510) Akera T F 2:00-3:50 __ Discusses the growth of American technology and its place within the framework of American history as well as the interrelationship of American and foreign technological developments. This course stresses the cultural contexts of technological change. Topics covered include the Erie Canal, the American system of manufacturing, railroads, emergence of engineering professions, corporate R&D, household technology, the technology of modern warfare, and the electronics revolution.

[|Self-Organization in Science & Society – 4cr, SUST__][| __(STSH 4580) Eglash MR 12-1:50pm__] Self-organization has become an increasingly important phenomenon in both the natural sciences and engineering. Self-assembly of molecular structure is critical to nanotechnology; self-regulating ecosystems are modeled in biology, and so on. But recursive loops in which things govern themselves are also foundational to society: democracy is the people governing the people; social networks on the internet arise by self-assembly, and many indigenous societies use self-organization to create sustainable ways of life. This course will introduce students to models of self-organization in natural science and engineering, and examine their potential application to society, politics, and ethics.
 * __ Product Design and Innovation Studio V – 4cr __**__ (STSH4610) Winner T F 9:00-11:50 __ PDI studio 5 focuses on an enriched sense of program and user needs definition through methodologies of the humanities and social sciences. Studio projects, presentations and readings explore the relation of race, class, and gender to technology, and the potential of design to address societal problems. Restricted to DIS majors.


 * __ China and the United States – 4cr, SUST __**__ (STSS4964) Winner T F 12:00-1:50 __ "China and the United States are economic and political giants that have intricate, sometimes troubled relationships as well as deeply interwoven futures. The course explores a variety of historical, philosophical, social, and political issues that shed light upon prospects for cooperation and conflict between the two superpowers. Required are substantial amounts of reading, writing and discussion."


 * __ Sustainability Education – 4cr, m, SUST __**__ (STSS 4965) KFortun TF 2-3:50pm __ What knowledge and thought styles are needed to advance environmental sustainability? How can educators cultivate the kind of knowledge and thinking needed? How can sustainability educators reach kids of different ages, and different kinds of communities? This course will examine these questions through review of varied ways environmental education can be conceptualized and delivered. The course will also provide opportunities for creative development of educational materials and outreach. Prerequisite one STS or IHSS course with SUST focus.

This course studies the politics of the international/global environment. As a field of study it examines questions about the environment; state sovereignty; policy processes at the local, national, and international levels; and north-south politics. It also prompts us to interrogate notions of sustainability and the very character of human interaction with the “natural world.”
 * __ Globalization & Development – 4cr, ci, SUST __**__ (STSH 4967/STSS 4966) Mascarenhas T F 2-3:50pm __
 * __ Environmental Justice – 4cr, SUST __**__ (STSS4968) Mascarenhas T F 10:00-11:50 __ Over years of painstaking research and emotionally charged activism, environmental justice scholars have been able to successfully link questions of social justice, equity, rights and people’s quality of life. For environmental justice scholars and activists, environmental problems are social problems; the two are often inseparable. The purpose of this course is to explore how racial, economic, and cultural background can influence people’s access to clean, safe, and productive environments


 * __ Product, Design and Innovation Studi0 VI __**__ (STSH 4961/ENG 4961) Nieusma M/R 2-4:50 __ Restricted to DIS majors.


 * __ Professional Development – 2 cr __**__ (STSS4840) Breyman W 2:00-2:50 + 2:50-3:50 or 3:50-4:50 __

This class is designed to support the development of STS senior thesis projects. Independent research, supervised by a faculty member, culminating in a written thesis. Restricted to STS, SUST and DIS majors.
 * __ Senior Project – 4cr, ci, SUST __**__ (STSH/S 4980) Kenner W 4-5:50pm __


 * __ Environmental and Resource Economics– 4cr, SUST __**__ (Econ 4260) - Gowdy T/F 2:00 - 3:50 __ Introduces students to the basic analytical approaches to environmental issues and natural resource use. Emphasis is on economic valuation and public policy. Covers traditional approaches based on assumptions of economic rationality and market efficiency as well as current approaches from the fields of environmental science behavioral economics. Emphasis is on active student participation and examination of current environmental controversies. Prerequisite: ECON 2010 or equivalent or permission of instructor.

Ecological economics is concerned with the relationship between economic systems, technological innovation, social institutions, and resources and pollution in the physical world. The course draws on contemporary ideas and research in several fields, with grounding in economics. It adopts a systems perspective for analyzing local and global challenges and approaches to addressing them. Meets with ECON 4250. Prerequisites: ECON 1200, and either ECON 4230 or ECON 4240, or permission of instructor.
 * __ Ecological Economics – 4cr, SUST __**__ (STSS 4960/6962, STSH 4960) Duchin W 4-5:50pm __


 * __ Evolution, Culture & Cognition – 4cr __**__ (STSH4969/STSS6960) – Caporael T 2:00-4:50 __ This course is a critical, problem-centered inquiry into a new approach to the evolution of mind and culture. It stresses the physical, embodied, and situated activity of organisms—what ultimately gives rise to, and results from, natural selection. We cover recent topics in evolutionary theory (evo-devo, nicheconstruction), challenges to conventional notions of theory of mind, cultural evolution, scientific and popular origin accounts, nature-nurture dualism and new ways of thinking about the evolution of coordination, artifacts, sociality, social imaginaries, and the relation of science and the humanities for understanding "human nature." Permission from instructor required for 4000 level course.